Tufting needle



E SL Am m m M G H. m am T sept. 16, 1952 Filed sept. 15, 1947 l5:54 TRlcE H. MID/5 NM@ u I Afro/zwar Patented Sept. 16, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE- 2,610,598 .'rUr'rING NEEDLE Beatrice r1. Midas', ohieago, 111. reputation september 15, 1947, serial No. 773,959

. This invention relates to an improved tufting needle for use in producing handmade articles having a fabric base with pile loops of uniform length formed thereon vand has as its general object the provision of a simple, compact and efficient tufting needle which may be easily adjusted for forming loops of predetermined, uniform lengths.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a.V hollow needle element having a longitudinal slot disposable in substantial alignments with the needle slot for threading the needle without removing it from the holder. n

A further object of the invention is the provision of a tufting device of the character indicated wherein the needle and holder are provided with longitudinal slots and are rotatable with respect to each other to move said slots out of alignment with each other afterthreading of the needle in order to retain the yarn securely therewithin against inadvertent displacement.

An additional object of the invention is the provision of a tufting device of the character in-` dicated having a slotted holder and a nxed slotted `cylindrical sleeve therewithin, the holder sleeve rand needle element having adjustable cooperating means for locking the needle elementV selectively at any one of a pluralityl of spaoedpoints therealong in order to vary the effective length of the piercing end of the needle and to produce loops of uniform, predetermined lengths.

The foregoing objects as well as additional objects and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent in the course of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing which' illustrates several preferred embodiments of the invention and wherein:

Fig. l is a front elevation of the assembled tufting device with the respective slots of the holder, the holder sleeve and the needle element in aligned position for threading the needle.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the assembled tufting device. p

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view through the holder and holder sleeve with the needle element removed.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a blank from which the holder sleeve may be formed.

Fig; 5 is a front elevation of the needle element showing the gauge indentations on the upper portion thereof and the longitudinally extending threading slot.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the needle element of Fig. 5.

4 Claims. (Cl.l 112-80) Fig. 'l is a plan view of a blank from which the needle element may be formed.

Fig. 8 is an elevational view of the assembled and threaded device held in operative position by the user. f

Fig. 9 is an enlarged cross-section illustrating the needle element in locked position with its threading slot rotated out of alignment with the longitudinal slots in the holder and holder sleeve.

Fig. 10 is a similar view, but with the needle in unlocked, threading position.

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary detail view taken on line II-II ofFig. 9.

Fig. 12 is a cross-section of a modified form of locking arrangement involving the use of a set screw having a pointed end engageable against the needle element.

Fig. 13 is a crossesection of another modication of locking arrangement involving the use of locking apertures in the needle element, said apertures being selectively engageable by a set screw threaded into the top of the holder'.

Fig. 14 is a plan view of a blank from which the needle element of the lmodiiication of Fig. 13 may be formed, the locking apertures being shown on the upper portion thereof.

Referring now to the drawing in greater detail, the needle element II] is preferablymade from a sheet metal blank II (see Fig. 7) shaped to provide a substantially cylindrical bodyl .portion I2 having a longitudinal slot I2a and a lower piercing portion I3 having a respective longitudinal slot i3d in alignment with slot Ia. rlhe lower vend of piercing portion I3 is pointed as shown at I4 for piercingl the fabric and an aperture I5 is provided adjacent4 point I4 to serve as an eye through which the yarn Y passes. Another aperture I6 is Aprovided adjacent the upper end of body portion I2 and in alignment with said lower aperture I5 for feeding the yarn Y into the needle I0.

Body portion I2 of needle element' te is formed with a plurality of gauge indentations Il en tending circularly thereabouts which serve' to adjustably vary the effective length of piercing portion I3 of needle I0 and therefore the lengths of the loops formed on the fabric in a manner to be fully indicated hereinbelow.

A holder I8 is provided for the tufting device having a longitudinal cylindrical bore extending therethrough and a longitudinal slot Ita. Holder I8 is preferably made of light-weight material, such as Wood or plastic and is formed withan annular extension I9 to afford a comfortable grip by the tipsof the iingers and thumb, as illustrated in Fig. 8. I-Iolder` I8 carries at its top end a collar 2l) having a longitudinal slot 29a and a set screw 2| for a purpose to be fully described and a sleeve 22 is fixed within holder IS and collar 29 in any suitable manner.

Sleeve 22 is preferably made from a sheet metal blank 23 of resilient material formed with a locking or pressure tongue 24 having a transverse projection 24aadapted to selectively engage within any oneof the gaugeindentations I7 of needle I0 when said needle is placed within sleeve 22 and fix the effective length of piercing portion I3 between the bottom of holder I8 and eye I5. It is to be noted that sleeve 22 is provided with a longitudinal slot 22a (Figs. 9 and 10) in, alignment. with slot ISa of handle I8 for permitting the passage of the yarn therethrough in. threading needle IIJ.

The needle ID is initially placed within sleeve 22 so that threading slots 2a and ISa are in alignmentwith longitudinal slots Ita, 2te and 22a of the holder I8, collar 253 and sleeve 2,2- respec tively, as clearly shown in lfiig.v '10. The needle I9 may be threaded by passing the yarn Y through upper eye IE and lower eye I5, the aligned slots I8a, 2a- 22aof the holder components and I2a and I3a ofthe needle Ig allowing the yarn to passginwardly within the bore of the hollow -needle when the yarn is tightened. The needle i@ is then rotated withinsleeve-22 as shown in Fig. 9 so that the threading slots I2av and Ita thereof will move out of alignment with slotsitci, 2da, and 22a. of the holder components and retain the yarn withinA the tufting device against accidental dislodginent.

' In order to X the efective lengths of piercing portion I3` of needle Iii, setY screw ZI is turnedinwardly againstiocking or pressure tongue 24 until projection 24a thereof enters a selected gauge indentation if! onV body portion i2 of needle lil as clearly shown in Fig. ll. As has been previe ously pointed out, sleeve 22 and locking tongue 2li' are of resilient material so that when set screw .2l is loosened to cliangethe effective length of the needle I, locking. tongue 2,4 will move outwardly away from itsengaged indentation il onneedle IIJ topermit. resetting of said needle. The presence ofl upper eyelet Iii through which. theY yarn passes retains thev yarnwithin the hollow needle III. at all times.

Fig.. 12 illustrates a modiediorm of locking arrangement andillustrates the collar. Si), having slot Sila, the sleeve 3l having slot 3mr and the needle 32. having threading slet, 32a..

A set screw 33 having av pointed end Bbl is `threaded throughcollar Sfand sleeveSi to engage against the upper portion of needle 32, which needle may` be provided, if desired, with gauge indentations similar to thosedescribed above for the initial embodiment.

Asa further modification, illustrated in Figs. 13. and 14, thel needle lil may be formed from a blank 4I having a plurality of locking apertures 42 in the upper portion thereof and upper and lowerl yarn eyes 4 3 and 4d. and shaped to form an upper body portion and a lower piercing portion with an aligned threadingsiot 46a extending longitudinally between said body and piercing portions for the `entire length of, needle 48. Needle 4U formed in this manner is slidably received within a holder having a sleeve 45 and collar ll. Collar 46 carries a set screw 4l for selectively engaging one of the locking apertures 42 oi the needle 4U after threading with yarn and rotating the threading slet 49a thereof out of open alignment with respect to slots 45a and 46a of sleeve 45 and collar 46, respectively. Set screw 41 is preferably provided with a stop shoulder 41a for limiting the inward motion of said screw to prevent its entrance for too great a distance within needle 45. The effective length of the piercing portion of needle 4U may be determined by entering set screw 4T within a selected aperture 42 in the upper portion of said needle.

It will benoted that the upper eye I is located at the rear or trailing side of the needle diametrically opposite to the slot I2a (which faces the leading side of the needle), hence the weight oi the `yarn ball tends to guide the yarn supply over the. baci: of the operating hand as well as to restrain the yarn from entering and getting out of the upper part of slot I2c..

Since certain additional modifications may be made in the tufting needle of the invention without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the foregoing description andshown in theraccompanying drawing` be interpreted merely as illustrative and not ina limiting sense.

What isclaimed is:

1. A tuiting device comprising a hollow cylindrical needle having an upper body portion and a lower piercing portion, a pair of'aligned yarn eyes at opposite ends of'V said needle and aligned longitudinal threading slotsin said body and piercing, portions; aA slidable holder mounted on the bodyportion of said needle for vvarying the Aeiective length of the piercing portion of'said 'aligned longitudinalgslots disposable in alignment with the. threading slots of said needle whereby the threading slots of said needle may be rotated out of alignment with the respective aligned slots of said holder and saidv sleeve, after threading the needle with. yarn toY prevent theinadvertent dislodgernent ofthe yarn,l a slotted collar xed atv the upper end of said holder with its slot in alignment with the slots in the holder and the sleeve, anda setiscrew carried. by said collar and movable to lockthe needle in adjusted position against movement relative tojsaid sleeve and collar.

2. A tuiting device in accordance with claim l wherein the body portion of said needle has a plurality of locking apertures therealong and said set-screw has selective engagement within any one of said apertures for varying the eiective Y length of said needle.

3. A tufting devicein accordance with claim 2, wherein said set screw is provided with a stop shoulder for limiting the inward motion, ofsaid screw with. respect to the hollow body portion of saidneedle.

4. A. tufting device comprisingv4 a hollow cylindrical needle having an upper body portion and a lower piercing portion, a pair of aligned yarn eyes at opposite ends of said needle andV aligned longitudinal threading slots'l inv said body and piercing portions, a slidable holder mounted on the body portion of said needle, a sleeve i'ixed within said holder, said holder andv said sleeve having aligned slots disposable in alignment with the threading slots of said needle, said needle beingnormally freelyv rotatable within said sleeve, said sleeve having an integral resilient tongue provided with a locking projection, a 'slotted' collar xed at the upper end` of said holder with its slot in alignment with the slots in the holder and sleeve, and carrying a set screw adapted to bear against said resilient tongue, the body portion of said needle having a plurality of spaced indentations, said locking projection being selectively engageable within any one of said indentations for varying the effective length of the piercing portion of said needle.

BEATRICE H. MiDAs,

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Number lo Number UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Chern et al Jan. 2, 1921 Hansen Oct. 9, 1923 Duner Aug. 13, 1929 Roberts Sept. 20, 1932 Morgan Oct. 26, 1937 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Switzerland Mar. 17, 1924 Great Britain Nov. 16, 1933 Germany Aug. 23, 1937 

